1 Peter 2:1-25

1 Peter 2:4. To whom coming as to a living stone. The jews boasted of their temple, an undisputed blessing. But when the christians fled from Jerusalem, they took the true, the living temple with them. Isaiah 28; Micah 4.

1 Peter 2:7. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: τιμη designates honour. On you who trust to this refuge, he confers honour and glory. You rest under the shadow of his throne, and are numbered with his saints.

1 Peter 2:9. Ye are a chosen generation. See on Titus 2:14.

1 Peter 2:13. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake. Be not turbulent in the cities where you live, vociferating in public meetings till you are marked and disliked, as aliens from the Lamb of God, who when he was reviled, reviled not again.

1 Peter 2:24. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree. Here is a vicarious sacrifice for man. He bore our sins in his own body: his humanity suffered, and suffered for sin, the Just for the unjust. What love is demonstrated by his death, what perfection of propitiation from all dead works, that we may draw near to God. What a complete removal of guilt, and what a gift of righteousness. This is the grand argument for all moral and relative obligations named here, and of which we have spoken before.

REFLECTIONS.

Having presented to the dispersed flock the mystery of redemption, and the perfection of the atonement, St. Peter proceeds to inferences assortable with the glory to which they were called. They were born of God: therefore all malice, hypocrisy, and envy must be superseded, for the temper of infancy best becomes the children of God. And there is no system which exhibits the like effectual remedies against malice as the christian code. God having forgiven us, we are bound by the effects of his love to forgive one another: and God having loved us while enemies, we are bound to love and to seek the good of all misguided men. Hence those called christians, who keep old animosities alive in their hearts, and refuse to bury their feuds, deserve expulsion from the church of God. Instead of feeding on envy, malice, and discord, we must, as babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that we may grow thereby in every heavenly temper, affection, and habit, unto the measure and stature of Christ. Those therefore best understand and improve the religion of Jesus Christ, who are daily delighting in devotion.

The jews and proselytes converted to the Lord, and driven out from the city and temple of Jerusalem, are most strikingly invited to rest in Christ, the living rock, and the true temple. He is that living stone chosen of God to be head of the corner; and he is precious in himself, and precious to all believers in his offices, titles, and promises. Yes, and he is not only a sure and everliving rock, but he quickens and associates all believers as living stones in his temple. But as to those obstinate jews who stumble at this stone, and still adhere to the letter, he shall fall upon them, and grind them to powder. Their rock is not like our rock: let us abide in Christ, who alone raiseth up the dead.

The christian religion exalts us to privileges which the house of Aaron could never boast. The scattered flock were not the less beloved, but a chosen generation, as the ancient Israelites, for by chosen the apostle follows the Hebrew phrases, as in the following passages. Deuteronomy 4:37; Deuteronomy 7:6; Deuteronomy 10:15; Deuteronomy 14:2; 1 Kings 3:8; Psalms 105:6; Psalms 105:43. They were a royal priesthood, as the firstborn of the patriarchs. They are called the church of the firstborn. Hebrews 12:22. Who then would regret the loss of ceremonial victims, and the smoke of Aaron's incense?

Every man in the church may pray, and say to his brother, know the Lord. Liberty of prophesying is not restrained by any canon of scripture. St. Paul says, ye may all prophesy one by one. 1 Corinthians 14. I do not say that the order of ministers and the sacraments should be interfered with by persons not devoted to the ministry; for all are not apostles, all are not evangelists, and all do not speak with tongues. But I do say, and believe, that every young convert receives the Spirit which constitutes him of the heavenly and royal priesthood. And I do regret, that at the reformation, too little regard was had to the liberty of the people in the exercise of spiritual gifts. Who among the leaders of this work ever established church meetings, as an after service, in which he could say, Ye may all prophesy one by one. The regular establishment of prayer meetings, and of meetings for christian fellowship, was reserved for the venerable Wesley; it being but sparingly adopted by good men in past ages. Obedience to princes and magistrates is a farther duty of christianity. Even a Nero, who now reigned, and a Caligula, could not ascend the throne without divine permission. How much more then shall we peaceably honour and obey princes and magistrates who rule under the auspices of heaven. A political restless and dissatisfied temper is often fatal to religious characters, and is to be shunned as subversive of our best interests.